Charm holder

ABSTRACT

An ornamental charm device includes a filament shaped into a spiral, or helix, having a plurality of loops or coils. The spiral, or helix, includes an open end for enabling the filament to be threaded onto a garment strap or thong and the loops are spaced apart from one another for enabling suspension of charms therefrom in a spaced apart relationship.

The present invention is generally directed to ornamental jewelry and ismore particularly directed to an ornamental charm device for attachmentto a user's clothing.

Many jewelry articles are placed for adornment through the use ofclasps, or pins, or the like. Still other jewelry is adapted for fittingaround a body part such as a wrist, or an ankle, or neck.

While suitable for many uses, pins and clasps and the like are notparticularly suitable for the adornment of narrow straps, thongs, orbelts, and the like.

The present invention is directed to an ornamental charm device which issuitable for easy attachment to and removal from strap or stringmaterial, for example, straps, or strings, of a bikini.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An ornamental charm device in accordance with the present inventiongenerally includes a filament shaped into a spiral having a plurality ofloops with the spiral having open ends for enabling the filament to bethreaded onto a garment strap. The loops are spaced apart for enablingsuspension of charms therefrom.

In combination, the present invention further may include charms incombination with the filament. More particularly, end loops may beprovided and interconnected with the loops with each end loop includinga filament end disposed in a closed spaced apart relationship with theend loop for restricting movement of charms therepast. Preferably, thespacing is such that the charms may be added or taken off of thefilament, but the end prevents inadvertent dropping of charms from thefilament.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of sub-loops maybe provided, each subtending a corresponding loop and having aconstriction therein before preventing inadvertent passage of charmstherepast. This embodiment may be preferable when the filament isthreaded onto a relatively vertical strap, such as a shoulder strap of abra, thus enabling spaced apart dangling of charms therefrom.

In accordance with the present invention, the loops may be oval,circular, rectangular, or square, and be either equal or unequal insize.

The present invention may be otherwise described as a plurality ofcanted coils interconnected to form a three-dimensional curve.

Open-end coils may be provided and interconnected with the canted coilsfor enabling the canted coils to be threaded onto a garment strap, orstring, or thong, and the coils are spaced apart for enabling suspensionof charms therefrom in a spaced apart manner.

More particularly, the three-dimensional curve may be a helix.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The advantages and features of the present invention will be betterunderstood by the following description when considered in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present inventionwhich includes a plurality of loops or canted coils formed from afilament having opened-end coils and a plurality of charms suspendedtherefrom as it may be installed on a relatively horizontal strap orthong;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention as it may be wornin various positions by a bikini wearer;

FIGS. 3-6 illustrate the various loop or coil configurations consideredpart of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment in accordancewith the present invention further including a plurality of sub-loops,or coils, for suspending charms in a relatively spaced apartconfiguration illustrating installation of the helical coils along ageneral vertical axis which can represent a bra strap or the like;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIG. 1, there is shown an ornamental charm device 10in accordance with the present invention generally including a filament12 shaped into a spiral, or helix, and having a plurality of spacedapart loops, or canted coils, 16 which can support a plurality ofvarious charms 20, 22, 24, 26 in a spaced apart relationship,particularly when the coil 16 are threaded around a relativelyhorizontal strap represented by the centerline 30. Representativeplacement of the device 10 is illustrated in FIG. 2.

End loops, or coils, 30, 32 are interconnected with the loops 16 areprovided for enabling a thread installation of the charm device 10 ontothe strap 28.

In addition, the end loops 30, 32 include filament ends 36, 38 which arecurved into a close spaced apart relationship with the end loops 30, 32for restricting movement of the charm rings 42, 44, 46, 48 therepast.That is, the spaced apart relationship requires a manual force to passthe rings 42, 44, 46, 48 therepast, thus preventing inadvertent droppingof the charms 20, 22, 24, 26 from the loops, or coils, 16 and end coils30, 32.

While shown in FIG. 1 as having generally equal shape, each of the coils16 may be of different size or diameter and still be within the scope ofthe present invention.

It should be appreciated that the filament 12 and the coil 16 may beformed from any suitable material, however, a precious metal ispreferred for decorative purposes.

In addition, coils of various cross section may be utilized. As shown inFIGS. 3-6 in coils 50, 52, 54, 56 have a circular, oval, or rectangularend square shape respectively.

With reference to FIG. 7, there is shown yet another embodiment of acharm device 60 in accordance with the present invention generallyincluding a plurality of loops 62 formed from a filament in a spacedapart relationship and further including a plurality of sub-loops, orsub-coils, 64 subtending corresponding loops 62 for the suspension ofcharms 66, 68, 70, 72 therefrom in a spaced apart manner particularlywhen the coils 60 are threaded onto a relatively vertical thong or strap76, see, for example, FIG. 2.

This embodiment is particularly effective in suspending the charms 66,68, 70, 72 in a spaced apart relationship when the orientation of thecharm holder 60, centerlines 76, or strap, is disposed and thengenerally vertical orientation.

Constrictions 76 between the sub-loops 64 and loops 60 may be providedfor restricting movement of charm rings 78, 80, 82, 84 therepast, thuspreventing inadvertent movement or loss of the charms 66, 68, 70, 72from the device 60.

In addition, end loops 86, 88 may be provided with filament ends 90, 92in a spaced apart relationship for again preventing loss of the charmsfrom the charm holder 60.

Although there has been hereinabove described a specific charm holder inaccordance with the present invention for the purpose of illustratingthe manner in which the invention may be used to advantage, it should beappreciated that the invention is not limited thereto. That is, thepresent invention may suitably comprise, consist of, or consistessentially of the recited elements. Further, the inventionillustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absenceof any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. Accordingly,any and all modifications, variations or equivalent arrangements whichmay occur to those skilled in the art, should be considered to be withinthe scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

1. An ornamental charm device comprising: a filament shaped into aspiral having a plurality of loops, said spiral having open ends forenabling the filament to be threaded onto a garment strap, said loopsbeing spaced apart enabling the suspension of charms therefrom in aspaced apart relationship.
 2. The charm device according to claim 1further comprises at least one charm for suspension from said loop. 3.The charm device according to claim 1 further comprising end loopsinterconnected with said loops, said end loops each including a filamentend disposed in a close spaced apart relationship for restrictingmovement of charms therepast.
 4. The charm device according to claim 1further comprises a plurality of sub-loops each sub-loops subtending acorresponding loop and having a constriction therein for restrictingmovement of charms therepast.
 5. The charm device according to claim 4wherein said sub-loop extends radially outward from a centerline of saidspiral.
 6. The charm device according to claim 1 wherein said loops areoval.
 7. The charm device according to claim 1 wherein said loops arecircular.
 8. The charm device according to claim 1 wherein said loopsare rectangular.
 9. The charm device according to claim 1 wherein saidloops are square.
 10. The charm device according to claim 1 wherein saidloops are equal in size.
 11. An ornamental charm device comprising: aplurality of canted coils interconnected to form a three-dimensionalcurve; open-end coils interconnected to said canted coils for enablingthe canted coils to be threaded onto a garment strap, said coils beingspaced apart for enabling the suspension of charms therefrom.
 12. Thecharm device according to claim 11 wherein said three-dimensional curveis a helix.
 13. The charm device according to claim 11 further comprisesat least one charm for suspending from one of the plurality of cantedcoils.
 14. The charm device according to claim 11 wherein said end coilare each included on end disposed in a close spaced relationship with aportion of a corresponding end coil for restricting movement of charms.15. The charm device according to claim 11 wherein the coils are oval.16. The charm device according to claim 11 wherein the coils are round.17. The charm device according to claim 11 wherein the coils arerectangular.
 18. The charm device according to claim 11 wherein thecoils are square.
 19. The charm device according to claim 11 wherein thecoils are equal in size.